7-10 day rides near utah

I went out for a walk yesterday. It was about 30 degrees with blustery canyon winds. Some of you
might be out in your bike shorts on a day like this, but I decided to pass riding my trike.

Instead I started to plan a couple 7-10 day tours for next year. I have one pretty well planned from
Lehi, UT down the west side of Utah Lake, through Manti and Richfield to Capitol Reef National Park
and back. That is about 450 miles round trip, 10 days for me. Days would vary from 35-65 miles. I
have done 75 miles in a day, but my 57 year old knees complained bitterly.

I am looking for another trip in the area of about 300-400 miles with likely places to stop for the
night (camping or motels). Anyone with recommendations in Utah or neighboring states. I hate to
spend too much time driving to a place to ride.

 

If you want the ride to start and end at home which is the SLC area, I think, would it be too far
for you, to reach Zion Nat. Park? The lower elevation and more southerly location in Utah makes a
fall or spring trip enjoyable.

If you head south toward Zion and then turn east you can visit Escalante and Boulder, the SW edge of
Capital Reef Nat. Park. There's a road called the Burr Trail that heads east from Boulder and
crosses into the Nat. Park lands and is paved now for a good part of its length.

Not flatland biking, though. But beautiful country.

C.C.

 

[q1]> Carol,[/q1]
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> I started planning a ride to Kanab that turned into the ride to Capitol Reef ride that I[/q1]
[q1]> describeb above. It would have taken me by the east entrance to Zion that you described, HWY 14.[/q1]
[q1]> I just thought that it would be a bit long, about 570 miles round trip from Lehi. The route is[/q1]
[q1]> beautiful, especially the Sevier Canyon south of Richfield. Sevier Canyon is the home of the "Big[/q1]
[q1]> Rock Candy Mountain" and the "Lemonade Springs", both made famous in a hobo song (Woody Guthrie?)[/q1]
[q1]> and in titles to Wallace Stegner books. I have lived in Utah for 12 years and am still a tourist[/q1]
[q1]> here at heart.[/q1]

I don't have a Utah map handy, so I'm writing from my memories of backpacking & dayhiking in Utah,
my favorite state for being outdoors.

The Sevier Canyon area I believe has a conservation association that is trying to protect the
river area.
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> The other problem on a bike (trike) is that there is a long tunnel on Hwy 14 near Zion. I believe[/q1]
[q1]> that you need to make reservations and be escorted to ride through it on a bike.[/q1]

I forgot! Because I drove in. But I do remember the bike escort problem.
[q1]>[/q1]
[q1]> Talking about it, I may plan a trip down that way in a couple years when the kids are a little[/q1]
[q1]> older and the burden will be less on my wife. I would especially like to visit Bryce Canyon on my[/q1]
[q1]> trike; but, do to traffic and weather considerations, it probably would need to be in the fall.[/q1]
[q1]> Fall weather is more predictable than spring weather in the Rockies.[/q1]

I remember spring in that area began at the end of May. There was newly plowed snow on the roadsides
of the North Rim Grand Canyon road (AZ).

And I remember camping at Capitol Reef under the apple trees. Campers are allowed to pick all the
apples they want (ladders available) as long as they eat them right there in the campground. Earlier
(June) the cherries are ripe and people drive in to pick them for a small cost. Aptly named
Fruitland Utah.

I remember seeing a group of 3 bicyclists on the Burr Trail east of Boulder UT. They camped at night
almost anywhere. The land was managed by BLM and seemed to be open to non-permit camping.

The problem with Bryce is the crime: car breakins in the parking lots, theft of anything lying
around. Not a good place to leave an expensive bike even for an hour.

I continue to recommend the Escalante area including the Burr Trail paved portion. There is a way
into Boulder from the north, crossing Boulder Mt., with good campgrounds near the top.

Are there any guidebooks for multi-day bike tours in Utah?

This is definitely pipe dream weather; here, too, where we got 6-12" of heavy wet snow last night.

I'm planning my Florida trip (mid-January) right now. TourEasy comes too!

Carol